1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of radiant energy responsive record controlled registers and specifically to data encoded cards in combination with such record controlled registers or card readers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a growing need for a minimum level of security in business offices, government agencies, residential developments, and manufacturing locations, coupled with a continuing need for specifically recording the ingress and egress of authorized individuals, there is a growing need for an inexpensive and reliable identification card reader. A data card reader exhibiting these features would find many alternative applications, as well, as the desirability of data processing continues to grow. Various prior art devices are known which solve this need but, in general, such devices are expensive to produce, unreliable to use or inconvenient to encode.
The extracting of data magnetically encoded upon a card is well known. However, complicated logic circuits capable of decoding such information result in installation costs far beyond the reach of many potential users. Mechanical and pneumatic punch card readers which detect the presence or absence of perforations in a data card introduce a degree of unreliability which is obviously undesirable. Radiant energy responsive readers are also known which detect the presence or absence of such perforations or voids. However, again such devices are generally expensive. One reason for the expense is the need to provide complicated logic and/or mechanics adapted to sequentially time the extraction of data such that it may be properly decoded.
All such prior art devices suffer another common problem in that the data encoded card must be specifically aligned with respect to the reading element or head. Improper insertion of the card into the reader results in an improper reading. As a result, prior art devices typically require a user to insert the card into the reader in the proper orientation as designated by a "top" or "bottom" legend imprinted upon the card.